Expectation is the mother of all evil. Allow me to explain. We, humans, have this design flaw within us; we expect a lot. To begin with, we expect our parents to give in to our whims and fancies, and if they refuse, we throw a tantrum till we get what we desire. My father once told me, "Expect nothing. That way, you won't feel let down if you get nothing. On the other hand, if someone does something unexpected for you, you will be pleasantly surprised."

The take on love and marriage is no different. A parent's unconditional love is mainly directed towards their child/grandchild, whereas spousal love is conditional. As our children grow older, we expect them to give us their time, attention and affection, but they have to find their own way. Once again, expectations can lead to disappointment. We don't even leave God out of this one. We coax, barter, threaten, plead and give ultimatums to Him as well. Give me more love, money, children, better health, that new job, anything to fill the void and when He fails to deliver, we feel let down.